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Player of the Year: Kenzi Maguire, Jr., River Ridge Kenzi Maguire has the kind of numbers you want in a clean-up hitter. She poked seven home runs, doubled 15 times and drove in 45 runs. Her slugging percentage was a robust 1.216. So, what is she doing hitting leadoff? Well, ...Read more

Pitcher of the Year: Kama Woodall, Fr., Canterbury Why we picked her: The ace of the staff dominated this season, finishing 14-4 with a 0.86 ERA and 196 strikeouts. Her four losses all came in the regular season against teams that eventually made the state semifinals: Hagerty (8A), Oakleaf (6A), ...Read more

Two Tampa Bay players are among the eight finalists for Florida’s Miss Softball award. Bloomingdale ace Lace Smith (Class 8A) and Academy at the Lakes standout Lauren Evans (2A) were both named the state’s top players in their respective classes by the Florida Dairy Farmers. (Full disclosure: I’m a voter). ...Read more

photo gallery VERO BEACH — Canterbury had been unrelenting, and also largely untested, before it reached Thursday’s Class 2A state championship game against Aucilla Christian. Only one opponent, Sarasota Christian in Wednesday’s state semifinal, had even scored on the Crusaders during a postseason in which they had outscored opponents a ...Read more

photo gallery VERO BEACH — The only drama in Wednesday’s Class 2A state semifinal centered on how quickly Canterbury could get out of the midday sun and into another state championship game. The Crusaders exploded for six runs in the first inning and coasted to a 15-1 win over Sarasota ...Read more

ST. PETERSBURG — Kama Woodall and Hailey Hopkins are opposites as pitchers. Woodall, a freshman, is a flame thrower. Hopkins, a junior, relies on finesse. But each, thanks in part to the other, is having her best season. Together, the right-handed aces have helped put Canterbury in position to win ...Read more

photo gallery TAMPA — After steam rolling through Class 2A competition, Canterbury was supposed to hit a speed bump in Tuesday’s region semifinal against Academy at the Lakes. Not only was it a game of teams ranked in the top four of the state poll, but a rematch of last ...Read more

HomeTeam Hot Shots A spotlight on the Times’ bay area players of the week. Female Hot Shots: Maddie Posey, Canterbury Sport: Softball Skinny: The top of Canterbury’s lineup has the big hitters who grab most of the headlines. But no Crusader had more of an impact in last week’s ...Read more

ST. PETERSBURG — To win its second straight state title, Canterbury has to get through a Class 2A region bracket that includes four other teams ranked in the top 10 of the state poll. The first obstacle for the top-ranked Crusaders came against No. 6 Cambridge Christian in Thursday’s region ...Read more

PINELLAS PARK — East Lake decided it would not go quietly for the rest of the season. In Thursday’s Class 7A, District 9 title game, the Eagles pitched, hit and darted around the bases. The team that struggled for traction through a miserable late regular-season stretch against district opponents regained ...Read more

PINELLAS PARK — Two one-run games. Just what one would expect in the balanced Class 7A, District 9 tournament. In Wednesday’s first semifinal, East Lake held off Northeast 5-4. In the second, a pitchers’ duel went the way of top-seeded Countryside, 1-0 over Seminole. Sommer Pollard (two hits, including a ...Read more

Admiral Farragut and Lakewood routinely make the playoffs in just about every sport except one — softball. In fact, they’re the only two schools in Pinellas County that have never made the postseason in that sport. Next week, the long wait could be over. The Blue Jackets and Spartans both ...Read more

Softball super 7 Records through Tuesday: 1. Canterbury (15-6): Fared well at last week’s Kissimmee Klassic, finishing 2-2 in the toughest bracket of the tournament. 2. Countryside (17-6): With a win tonight against Tarpon Springs, the Cougars can clinch a spot in the PCAC title game. 3. Northeast (14-5): Will ...Read more

Softball super 7 Records through Tuesday. 1. Canterbury (11-4): The Crusaders, the top-ranked team in Class 2A, beat Northeast last week on a walkoff homer and are playing in the top bracket at this weekend’s Kissimmee Classic. 2. Palm Harbor University (16-3): The Hurricanes can wrap up the North Division ...Read more

HomeTeam Hot Shots A spotlight on the Times’ bay area players of the week. Female Hot Shot: Hailey Hopkins, Canterbury Sport: Softball Skinny: Given how little the offense had produced through six innings, a rally by the Class 2A powerhouse Crusaders seemed unlikely against Northeast. But there was hope with ...Read more